Be strong!

The story is told about a baby snake who nervously asks its mother: “Mother, are we poisonous?” The mother snake replies: “Why are you asking, my child?” The baby snake exclaims: “I accidentally bit my tongue!”

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In today’s Gospel (Mark 3:20-35), Jesus tells us to be strong, and to be united, because “if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand” (Mark 3:24). What are the poisons inside us that weaken us, and make us succumb to the poisons outside us?

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“As long as the trunk is firm, worry not about the branches swaying in the wind” (Unknown). It is the presence of the Holy Spirit that enables us to discern and be strong amid problems, pressures, persecutions, and failures.

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“Come, Holy Spirit!” This is a necessary prayer whenever we encounter a right or wrong situation. “If the Lord is with us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). The Lord is always with us, but the question is: Are we always with the Lord in our actions and decisions?

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The best way to fight temptation is to pray right away and just flee. If we do not face temptation with the Lord, we will be weak. So, we must invoke His help to set us free. The best defense is to be in God’s presence.

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When it comes to temptations, the best way to fight is to take flight. Better to be a coward, stay away, and just flee, because if we hesitate, or just linger just a little bit, we will end up biting the bait. Remember, if you give an inch, it will easily go to a foot, to a meter, and before you know it, you have been lured and defeated by the evil one, who is the master of deceit, alibis, half-lies, maneuvers, and manipulations.

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“The devil is like a rabid dog tied to a chain; beyond the length of the chain, he cannot seize anyone. Keep your distance; if you approach too near, you will let yourself be caught. Remember that the devil has only one door by which to enter the soul: the will” (St. Padre Pio).

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The Lord knows our frailty and He will never try us beyond our capacity. However, it is “we” who often go beyond, become careless and carefree, that we often cross the line. We are protected, the evil one is restricted, but it is we who decide whether we go left or right.

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As we celebrate our Independence Day this June 12, we pray that the Lord protect our “house” from our neighbors who seek to destroy and steal what rightfully belongs to us. God bless and protect our beloved country, the Philippines!

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We pray to the Lord, to cleanse us from our homegrown termites who are destroying our country with their unbridled thirst for money and power, and have mastered the act of stealing people’s money in the guise of public service. God bless and protect our beloved Filipino people!

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The Divine Word Seminary, Tagaytay is celebrating its 60th anniversary. We remember with gratitude all the people who put this institution that has “produced” many priests, religious, and missionaries now serving all over the world. We celebrate with joy, but more so, with humility as we acknowledge the hand of God working through the years. And we renew with love our commitment to serve the Lord and His people, with a heart!

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Think about this: You begin to live a more peaceful and meaningful life when you focus more on His will, His way, His time, and less on your will, your way, your time.

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A moment with the Lord.Lord, help us to be strong through all our trials and temptations. Amen.

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